Description: Another live music venue used by the organisers of the Dot to Dot 2012 music festival in Manchester was the Deaf Institute just across the road from Zoo. While we didn't personally see any Dot to Dot bands at the Deaf Institute, I have recently seen Portland band Portugal. The Man play there live and so can describe the experience.
The Deaf Institute is a great name for a live rock music venue, but it was not created for this purpose – the building was a former school for the deal dating from 1877. The ornate exterior of the building is worth a moment to stare at, although of course you risk the wrath of the kids trying to get to the bar! It is a great way to keep a lovely old building used and loved, whereas alas so many nice buildings stand disused in the city.
The name reminded me of the pleasing sight of some of kids attending the Dot to Dot gigs using ear plugs. In my heyday it wasn't cool to take ear plugs to a gig and some of my contemporaries suffer ear loss and tinnitus as a result. Thinking about the terrible frustrations one friend in particular experiences I quickly withdrew my initially stuffiness about seeing earplugs at a gig.
Downstairs of the Deaf Institute still looks like a school classroom with wooden tables and chairs and floorboards. The only nod to the present is the bar in the corner and that the place sells good food. The restaurant part of the Deaf Institute was very crowded when we visited and the food looked good, reasonably priced and filling. I particularly note the good choice of vegetarian dishes such as falafel and the like. The bar likewise stocked some unusual lagers to keep most folks happy.
The music venue is upstairs in a rather strange hall with old "cinema" style seating on a slope at the back and a small standing area at the front. The stage for the band is tiny, but decorated with some fancy wallpaper in the alcoves. It is a very homely place for a gig, and even from the seating area you are close and personal with the band.
I found the Deaf Institute a great music venue - a place where you can grab a bite to eat before a gig downstairs just has to be good!
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